“Santosa” (translated: Happiness), founded in 1994, is a nationally recognized charity. The founder, Wim Van der Beek, who is a Dutch citizen, resides in Santosa.
Santosa is located in the fishing village of Negombo, which is located about 25 kilometers north of the capital of Colombo.
The fishermen are among the poorest inhabitants of the land and self-made alcohol is widely consumed. Most of the fishermen sail very primitive boats (“rafters”), which are unsafe, on the open sea. Most of these boats are hired, because the fishermen cannot afford their own, and 50% of their proceeds go to the landlord.
One out of ten women have been widowed through fishing accidents.
Children and women are left to their own destiny and do not receive state aid; the poverty and suffering of these families are great. Often there is a lack of basic foods.

Santosa operates a school and a workshop for mentally and / or physically disabled young people. Basically, the young people produce paper by hand, which then is subsequently processed into cards, envelopes and folders.

Disabled children are brought to the day school every morning by Santosa’s own school bus, where they attend classes with trained teachers and therapists throughout the day.